Otherworld Dagashi Shop Yahagi

Chapter 114: Aiming for the Level-Up

Mani-san ate all the Young Doughnuts, but his appearance did not change.

His wrinkles and gray hair were still the same, and his body was still as thin as a dead tree.

[As expected, it didn’t work huh.]

[If he had existed since the beginning of the world, gaining 20 years would certainly not make much difference. When compared to us, it’s like he’s only 5 hours younger…… it might even be less than that.]

Michelle and I sighed at the same time.

Thereupon, seemingly seeing our shoulders slumped, Mani-san consoled us with a smile.

[What’s wrong? You look sad.]

[It’s nothing. It’s just that we were a little off the mark.]

[Ohh, I see. Well, in life, it’s important not to give up.]

[You’re right. We never know, one day, we might even be able to boost the power of the energy packs and bring the Zord back to life.]

Hearing my words, a complacent smile appears on Mani-san’s lips.

[What, did you want to increase an energy pack’s output, Yahagi?]

[Eh, is it possible?]

[How much do you want to increase it?]

[T- To 1.21 gigomatts.]

[That’s quite difficult……]

[It really must be impossible huh?]

[No, it is possible if you use this.]

After Mani-san stomped the ground with his right foot, a metal box appeared from the ground.

It was an item about the size of a commercial refrigerator.

[Here, this is an energy converter. You use this to convert lightning energy into mana.]

[Amazing……]

Michelle, who was examining the energy converter, looked impressed.

[There’s a problem though.]

Mani-san’s furrowed brows deepened.

[What do you mean by problem?]

[It has to be used with the energy packs attached to the Zord.]

To install the energy packs, the Zord must be defrosted.

.

However, once it’s defrosted, mana must be circulated in it within 30 minutes.

Otherwise, the metallic cells in the Zord will be seriously damaged.

[In other words, we would have a time limit of only 30 minutes?]

[That’s what I mean.]

Titti, who had been listening to the conversation, started making a fuss.

[That’s impossible. You never know where lightning will strike!]

If we install a lightning rod on the top of a tall tree, we might have a better chance to direct where lightning will strike, but that won’t help us predict the exact time.

If we blundered in the timing when we will defrost it, the Zord will die.

We can’t afford to simply take this gamble.

[Let’s call it a day. I’ll think of a way to revive that Zord.]

Exchanging looks with Michelle, I began to close the shop.

Michelle seemed to have realized what I was thinking, as she had a complicated expression on her face.

When and where lightning will strike, I might be able to figure it out.

It’s because I have my “Clairvoyance”, the magic I had learned after Mobile Force training.

At the moment, only Michelle and I know about my Clairvoyance.

I’ve kept it under wraps to prevent it from being used by the government, but it looks like it’s finally time for me to bring it out.

It’s just, though I had seen the past and present with it, I had no experience using it to see the future.

To see the future requires an enormous amount of mana, and it apparently places a very heavy burden on the body.

Recently, my Dagashi Shopowner levels have risen, and along with it, the amount of mana I possess increased.

However, my mana is still not enough to get a glimpse of the future.

After dinner, while relaxing in the living room, Michelle and I discussed the possibility of using Clairvoyance.

Michelle would normally sit next to me and act all spoiled, but today, she sits a little apart from me, a dreadful expression on her face.

[As expected, I’m just worried. Yuusuke always gets sick when you use Clairvoyance.]

[I know, but there’s no other way, right?]

[But this time, you’re gonna use it to see the future. It probably wouldn’t be comparable to the burden your mind and body had bore until now. I don’t think it’s something you can handle.]

That certainly is plausible……

The current situation is that I use Clairvoyance by borrowing the power of the candy “Stick Chocolate” to enhance a magic’s power.

[However, if my level goes up, wouldn’t I be able to use Clairvoyance without danger?]

[If the amount of mana you possess increases, it is possible but……]

[In that case, I’m going to settle down and work hard to improve my level first. I’m not really in a hurry to revive the Zord.]

We can just proceed with the development in a leisurely manner.

In the end, it’s fine as long as Luganda becomes a little more livable.

There’s no need to push myself too hard.

[However, hasn’t the speed at which your level is increasing been slowing down lately?]

[Yeah.]

My level seems to be related to my sales.

Since I left the Royal Capital, sales at the Dagashi Shop have considerably lowered.

Maybe that’s why my level-up rate has been slowing down.

[In that case, should we just open a branch in Betzel or some other place?]

[Oh, that’s a good idea!]

I said that casually, but Michelle was more in agreement than I expected.

There are a lot of children in Betzel, so they might be happy if we open a branch there.

Let’s talk to Leymus-san about it in the near future.

Perhaps relieved to know that I wouldn’t do anything reckless, Michelle started acting spoiled like usual.

She’s now playing with my hair, twirling it around her fingers.

[Speaking of which, those Young Doughnuts ended up being wasted.]

Those Young Doughnuts given to Mani-san huh.

[It’s fine. They were close to their expiration date anyway.]

[In that case, it would have been better if Yuusuke had eaten those.]

[Why?]

[Well, I would be able to flirt with a young Yuusuke, wouldn’t I? I thought that would be refreshing in itself……]

She came up with another strange idea.

[Ah, but I guess I still prefer older ones. Say, Yuusuke.]

[What now?]

[Don’t you have something like Old Doughnuts?]

Well, I do have old-fashioned doughnuts, but my line-up doesn’t have any dagashi that can make someone older.

[Are you planning to make me a Grandpa with that?]

[Not that old, but I was just thinking, you see. Yuusuke, old enough to have some silver-gray hair, would also look cool. I kinda want to see it.]

Michelle looked away embarrassed.

Even though she can see a middle-aged me in the not-so-distant future, Michelle sure is impatient.

Then again, without something like that, she’ll never be able to see the teenager me huh.

I’ve left all the pictures of my youth behind in the other world after all.

[When I increase my level, maybe I’ll be able to offer a snack like that. You know, the kind that makes you younger or older.]

[Really!?]

[No, it’s just a fanciful idea that might happen, you know———–]

[Nice! That is nice! A current-age Yuusuke, a shota Yuusuke, a middle-aged Yuusuke! I can love them all as much as I want!]

[Like I said, that’s just hypothetically speaking, okay?]

[Yuusuke, let’s go to Betzel tomorrow. This is urgent! We need to set up a branch ASAP!]

Good grief, Michelle’s delusions can be troublesome.

But well, thinking of Michelle in her late teens……

Ah, but Michelle in her 30s is also……

Hmmm, I kinda wanna see either of those.

I’m not sure when that dagashi comes out though.